This is a 4 part question about our gov't...not based on plitical party preference?

Question

1.If the hundreds of senators & representatives meet and vote to approve something and the president can simply veto because its not what he wants..isn't this a dictatorship instead of a democracy?
2.If the gov't is run "by the people,for the people" why can't we vote to approve or override the presidents veto?
3.If we are required to pay taxes, but must sit back and watch one man decide the course of our country...isn't this taxation without representation?
4.Considering the 3 questions above, do you agree or disagree that our current gov't operation is very similar to the situation our forefathers left England to escape?

Please add reasons for your answers.

Just wanted to thank everyone for their accurate and detailed info. My 11 year old is doing a summer civics project and I knew I could count on ya'll to help him out.

Answer 1

You are missing one important fact. Congress can override the president's veto with a two third majority vote.

This system was designed to do two things, enforce the will of the majority while protecting the rights of the minority. If congress passes a bill even by one vote and the president agrees he will sign it into law. If congress passes a bill with a two thirds majority the president cannot stop it.

This prevents a simple majority from dominating. The reason is, if the majority wants to pass a bill over a presidential veto it must compromise with the minority to get more support.

This is one of the many, many checks and balances that have kept this country strong by preventing what the founders saw as the "tyranny of the majority". A simple majority has power but not absolute power. The president has power but not absolute power. The minority has power but not absolute power. It is all designed so that compromise is necessary to accomplish anything. Even the way legislation is introduced in congress through various committees etc. is designed to protect the minorty's rights.

So, no, one man alone cannot decide the course of our country as you have stated. It requires the president and at least a little more than one third of congress to support a veto. That is approx. 146 congressmen and 34 Senators as well as the president, not one man.

Remember, Congress with its 435 congressmen and 100 Senators represents one third of the three part government. The Supreme Court's 9 Justices represent another one third and the president by himself represents the other third. That makes the president the most powerful single person in the government but he is limited to two terms. Congress is not term limited. The Supreme Court is a lifetime appointment.

It all balances out. It is not at all like a dictatorship nor is it like the parlimentary system in England. You are represented in our government by your Congresman and Senators. That does not mean you will always have your way.

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Answer 2

1. It is called checks and balances. If the Congress feels strongly enough about a bill that the president has vetoed they have the power to override the veto and the bill becomes law without the president's signature.

2. The people can override a presidential veto through the people who represent us in Congress. If you find the president has vetoed a bill that you favor than you need to contact your reps. and let them know that you want the veto overridden.

3. One man does not run the country. Granted the current president thinks he does but there are still checks and balances in place. Those checks were not used by the last few Congresses and the current one is having difficulty with the checks because of what the executive was afforded by previous Congresses. However, money issues are decided by those who represent us in Congress. So you and I pay taxes and we are represented in Congress therefore we cannot claim taxation without representation.

4. No I do not. While the current president and those in Congress who support him would like nothing more than to see him become a dictator it won't happen if we keep vigilent and continually contact our representatives. When I do that I make it easy. I write one email and then before sending it to my Congressman I do a copy and then paste it to both Senators. I might do one of the Senators first and copy the other Senator and the Congressman.

If a politician is going to be up for reelection and they want votes do you think they want to keep the electorate happy or the donors? (Both of course but donors have a few votes). It is a numbers game. The more we have contacting them the more they will listen to us rather than special interests. We elect them to represent us but if we don't tell them how they will represent those who do speak up. Often that is a corporation with lots of money.

Answer 3

1. It takes a vote of 2/3 to over ride a veto, and congress does not always do what is in the interest of the people. So lets take that off the table.
2. We elect representatives to act for us and again it takes a vote of 2/3 to over ride a veto.
3. There are three parts of government. You are too taken in by what the press writes.
4. No this is no where near similar to the situation our forefathers left England to escape.

Answer 4

1. No, thats the power of the Executive Branch in our Constitution. The veto can be over riden by a 2/3 vote in the senate.
2.We are a Republic, not a Democracy. The people that are there to serve you, vote for you.
3.No. You are represented by your Congressmen and Senators
4.No, not at all. I assume you are referring to the Pilgrims who left for religious freedom, since almost all of our founding Fathers were born in the colonies and not in England.

Answer 5

1 No, it's balance of power. Congress passed on simple majority and can override the veto with a 2/3 majority
2 Our representatives in Congress can override the veto
3 No..we elected our representation
4 Disagree as explained above

Answer 6

1. No, the Congress can override the veto.
2. No, that's why we elect Congressmen and Senators, their job. Not Happy? Boot them out next election.
3. No, Congress decides how your taxes are spent.
4. No, you are trying to compare King George to our political structure?

Answer 7

1. NO! Congress can over ride a veto.

2.The people elect congressmen "to act for them".

3. No one man decides the course of our country.

4. NO! We have no king.
Let me add, our current government is the same kind we've had for over 200 years.
The present congress is one of the lousiest.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

1. Yes.
2. No idea.
3. Yes.
4. Agree.

My reasoning is the same as yours.

Answer 10

You are 100% on the mark on every item, problem is those things called loop holes. Somewhere it says that all of this can be done without us having a vote or say in it. The only way we have a say is to never re-elect any official to office , never let them get comfortable.